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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D9688A.D27C5740" alt="Graphical user interface, text
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">April 6, 2023
<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Gov. Little applauds productive legislative session<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Boise, Idaho – The Idaho Legislature adjourned “sine die” today, and Governor Brad Little thanked his legislative partners for working with him to advance his “Idaho First”
plan this session.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Idaho Legislature approved 99-percent of the Governor’s “Idaho First” plan for tax relief and education and infrastructure investments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“Working together, we achieved major investments in teacher pay, workforce training, roads, water, and other critical infrastructure to improve
the lives of the people we serve, in addition to passing simple enduring property tax relief. I am grateful my legislative partners prioritized my ‘Idaho First’ plan to keep Idaho strong and prosperous for many years to come,”</span></i></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">
Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Governor and Legislature’s major “Idaho First” achievements this session include:
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Launch</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor recommended and the Legislature approved
the expansion of the successful Idaho Launch program, providing $8,000 grants for qualifying high school graduates to use at any community college, career technical program, or workforce training provider of their choice starting in 2024.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Teacher pay and education investments</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor recommended
and the Legislature approved raising starting teacher pay to $47,477, targeting Idaho for a top 10 spot nationally, up from 41<sup>st</sup> when Governor Little took office. The plan also strengthened pay for all teachers, including our most experienced educators,
as well as school staff. The Governor and Legislature fulfilled a historic commitment to public schools – a 16.4% increase in state funding. Other education achievements include improving teacher health insurance benefits, improvements to school facility security,
and more discretionary funding to defray reliance on local property taxes.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">School choice</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor recommended and the Legislature
approved making permanent the popular <i>Empowering Parents</i> grant program to help families take charge of education expenses for their children outside the classroom. The Governor and Legislature strengthened Idaho’s already abundant landscape of school
choice options by expanding parents’ ability to choose the best public school for their child, regardless of their zip code. Governor Little maintains his commitment to a responsible, transparent, and accountable approach to expanding school choice in Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Simple property tax relief</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor recommended an
additional $120 million of state funding in FY 2024 for ongoing tax relief to be directed to local government property tax mitigation, and the Legislature passed $117 million in ongoing property tax relief and $20 million in one-time relief for FY 2024. In
the past three years, Idaho has turned back more taxpayer money through tax relief than any other state per capita.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Transportation, water, and infrastructure</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – In recent years,
Governor Little and the Legislature have championed investments in critical infrastructure without raising taxes or fees. The Governor and Legislature this session fully funded the known ongoing transportation safety gap, making Idaho roads safer. They funded
the second tranche of an effort to improve local bridges. They leveraged federal funds to increase broadband capacity in Idaho and made investments to expand water projects to ensure a stable water supply and safe local drinking water and wastewater systems
for this generation and the next. Outdoor recreation opportunities will be improved with added investments in state parks.
<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Public safety</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> – The Governor and Legislature renewed their
commitment to safe communities by increasing pay for law enforcement officers, beefing up resources to fight fentanyl, and improving behavioral health resources for Idahoans in need.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">A full summary of achievements from the Governor’s “Idaho First” plan this session is available at:
</span><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fy24-budget-activity-summary.pdf"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fy24-budget-activity-summary.pdf</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor’s press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail
</span></i><a href="mailto:Madison.Hardy@gov.idaho.gov"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Madison.Hardy@gov.idaho.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to
</span></i><a href="mailto:news@gov.idaho.gov"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">news@gov.idaho.gov</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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